


Your Soul Is Where I Made My Home

by paneverlands



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon, Reunion Fic, Sort of? - Freeform, one of my many thoughts of them finding each other, others from the group are mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-02-18 10:18:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2344817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paneverlands/pseuds/paneverlands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been almost a week since the group broke out of Terminus. The whole place went down in flames between the gunfire and military-grade explosives the group had found in with all the weapons. Rick got his python back, Michonne got her katana, Daryl got two things—his crossbow and his light, his lifeline; he got Beth back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Your Soul Is Where I Made My Home

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, okay, so I had only planned a small, cute reunion fic and it turned into this 8k monster! I have no idea where it came from or how I even managed to finish it—my mind runs like crazy. I can barely sit still watching a movie—but I'm really glad that I did. My friend, Crystal, was kind enough to spend her time and energy beta'ing for me. So thanks a ton! I can't say there's no mistakes, but we tried our best to fix everything we saw.
> 
> Title is from Fragments by Jaymes Young.

It's been almost a week since the group broke out of Terminus. The whole place went down in flames between the gunfire and military-grade explosives they group had found in with all the weapons. Rick got his python back, Michonne got her katana, Daryl got two things—his crossbow and his light, his lifeline; he got Beth back. She was no more dirty than everyone else was after the fight, but Daryl could see the hardness in her eyes. He knew she had to fight and claw her way out of captivity and even though she had lost some of her softness, he was damn proud of her. Everyone had always treated her like she wasn't capable of taking care of herself, himself included, even if he didn't want to admit it. But here she was, blood on her clothes and gunpowder on her hands and she did it on her own. He will always feel guilty for letting her get taken, but unbelievably relieved—so relieved it unnerved him—to have her back with him, with everyone.

He hid in the shadows at the back of the group as Maggie held her, crying out Beth's name over and over, patting her down to make sure she was okay. And physically she was. He wasn't too sure how well she was emotionally or mentally, but there was time for him to worry about that later. Right now, he wasn't sure if he should keep his distance or fall into the urge to grip her tight and never let her leave his sight again. He watched as Glenn reached over to Maggie and tried to pull her away. She fought until she realized why he was trying to get her to let go of the last little bit of her family; Beth was repeating Daryl's name like a broken record, hands at her side and her eyes glued to him like he was the only thing keeping her together. Maggie reluctantly let go and moved to the side, letting Beth pass. Daryl's head dropped to look at the ground, his teeth gnawing on his bottom lip until her raggedy shoes stopped right in front of his boots.

His breath caught when her newly-callused fingers ran up his arms and her palms rested on the sides of his face, forcing him to look at her. Her face was covered in dirt and her hair looked like a rat's nest, but the early evening sun cast a glow around her that made her look like some ethereal, post-apocalyptic warrior. A watery smile graced her lips and she couldn't keep from tracing her eyes and hands over his face, trying to etch his almost faded features back into her mind. If the others weren't here with him, she would be worried that he was just another figment of her imagination. Her mind had conjured up images of him everywhere since they've been apart. If it wasn't some twisted, subconscious version of a holographic representation of him, it was his voice telling her to get up, to keep fighting. But, her hands rested on actual flesh and the knot that had formed in her stomach unfurled; a breath she hadn't even known she was holding rushed out of her in solace.

"Daryl," she breathed. "I'm so glad you're okay."

He was frozen under her touch. He'd never had anyone so glad to see him and he grunted out some stilted form of, "mhmm," in his usual uncomfortable fashion.

The smile she gave his was blinding and he knew that she knew exactly what he was saying. Those few days they spent together before she was taken told her a lot about how to understand Daryl Dixon. Everything about his body language she understood now; whether it be the way he looks at someone when he thinks they're being stupid or if they've done something he's impressed with, the way he crosses his arms and takes a step back when he feels cornered or looks at the ground when he's embarrassed—she knows. And she knows now, with his hands wrapped tightly around her forearms and his ice blue eyes unyielding, that he's trying to say 'I'm glad you're okay, too.'

He feels the confused stares of everyone around them and shoots away from her so fast she almost loses her balance. He holds his hands out to steady her before he runs his hand through his scruff and clears his throat, falling back behind Rick when the other man steps forwards and asks her if she's okay. He glances up in time to see her nod, but her eyes are on him still and he knows that nod was for him. She understands why he stepped away and she knows that they'll talk to each other soon.

But, it's been a week and they still haven't found any time to talk; they've barely stopped moving since walking away from the ruins of the pseudo-town full of methodical sadists. They've maybe managed a quick greeting and asked how watch was or how training is going, but they haven't been able to be alone and really talk about what needs to be talked about. That doesn't stop the side glances or the nods of acknowledgement that they know no one else will catch or understand. It doesn't stop the discreet brush of knuckles across velvety skin or fingertips across rough, tanned muscle. It's all they can manage with the little to no amount of privacy.

Neither are ready to admit or accept what they can feel is happening, though they don't want to stop it either. Daryl knows he's terrified of the way his heart stops when he feels her gaze burning into his skin or how he's extra attuned to her voice because he's never felt anything like this for someone. He doesn't know how to care for someone they way he cares for Beth; someone so bright and hopeful and who is willing to see the good in people until she is given a reason not to. She is faithful and fierce and strong in a way he's never known anyone to be before. She can live in this world and not let the choices they have to make day to day mold her into someone bitter and spiteful. He knows that something happened to her while she was gone, but that light is still there in the way that she sings and laughs and rocks Judith to sleep at night.

He sees it in the way she's hanging up the laundry with her hair down; soft, golden tendrils framing her face, reflecting the light like a halo as she hums a song with her hips swaying to some hidden beat only she can hear. The afternoon sun flushing her pale skin a soft red like the first strokes on an empty canvas. Her nimble fingers working quick and efficient; a practiced ease that he can only guess to come from her handling lil' asskicker every day for almost a year now. It shows in the build of muscles in her pale arms and shoulders she'd acquired from taking down walkers along the fence line and the soft curve of her nose and mouth that her profile allows. 

Every bit of her stirs a primal need in him that he's never felt before. He's been with women in the empty bathrooms of shady bars that Merle decided to drag him out to or that he picked up from the very few times he went out to clubs, but the way that he wants Beth is such a visceral thing that he feels it in his bones. He wants her happy, sad, singing, laughing. He wants her hovering over his shoulder when he works on cars and asking question after question. He wants her curled into him, telling him stories of her childhood. Wants her with kiss-swollen lips, gasping underneath his touch; her slim, pale legs encircling his hips and inner walls clenching tight around him while she moans out his name. He wants her always.

He realizes he's been staring and jerks his head away quick and hopes that no one saw. He stumbles over nothing as he turns like some klutz and curses something awful. He shakes his head; in a world like this, he can't allow himself to make mistakes because he's caught up in his own thoughts. He knows to leave well enough alone. People like him can never have good things and if they get them, they somehow always manage to fuck it up.

As Daryl rights himself, he tries to forget the way she seems to wrap herself around him and warm him to the bone, even when she's so far away. He tries to forget because it feels wrong to want her, to yearn for her the way he does. He's so afraid that the darkness inside of him will somehow consume her like a slow acting poison. He's full of too many warring emotions and memories and the last thing he wants to do is bring her into the crossfire. It'd just be one more thing to add to his guilt. He refuses to do that.

At least that's what he told himself until they got their chance to be alone. Beth had been getting frustrated about being put back into the role of housewife—"All I've ever done is cook and clean and take care of Judy. I love her, but I learned that I need to know more. I've been training for awhile now but not having experience won't do me any good. When are y'all going to let me out?!"—and Rick asked him if he could take her with the next time he went hunting or on a run some place nearby. He knew that if he said no, she'd be on him faster than he could blink, so he agreed. He helped her pack early the next morning and left soon after they let the group know where they were going.

They were headed to a small housing development that Carl spotted a day or so back and Daryl was hoping it'd be an easy in-and-out. He knew how nerve-wracking first runs could be so having it go smoothly would be better for the both of them.

They'd been walking for a few hours when the sounds of running water hit their ears and Beth lightly tugged on his vest and asked if they could stop for a little bit. They had plenty of sunlight left so he shrugged and took off towards the sound. They reached the edge of the tree line and he raised his Stryker, Beth automatically reaching for her knife and following his lead while trying to keep her footsteps as silent as his hunter's tread. He swept left and she went right, their eyes looking out for anything that could be a problem.

It only took one second of misplaced concentration for things to go bad. Daryl looked to make sure she hadn't wandered too far and he looked back into the mangled and rotting teeth of a walker inches away from taking a bite out of him. He cursed and kicked out. It fell away from him and used that short window to drop his crossbow in favor of his knife, stabbing it through its ear.

"Daryl!" Beth screamed. He was too caught off guard by the walker he just killed to realize another had snuck up behind him. He heard her feet slamming on the ground as she ran towards him and he tried to turn around and away from the rotten hands that had grabbed tight to his shirt. The momentum sent him and the walker sideways, his knife still stuck in the other too far for him to reach for now. He was pinned. As he bucked and shoved to force it off of him, the weight suddenly disappeared. He jumped to his feet to see Beth straddling it, pinning it to the ground. She let out a high-pitched battle cry and slammed her knife straight into its eye.

He was pissed at himself for letting that happen. His need to see her, know where she is at all times almost got him killed and he's lucky there was only two of them. He stomped over to the river, propping his crossbow against a tree stump near the water and started angrily scrubbing the blood that had caked onto his hands. Beth quietly sat next to him and took off her pack, holding out her hand with his knife resting in her palm. He took if from her, being careful not to cut her with it and nodded his thanks.

She got out a water bottle and drank some before handing it to him. The only sound that could be heard was the running water and he knew she was trying to figure out a way to ask him if he was alright without upsetting him. Meanwhile, he was too busy stewing in his own damn stupidity to think of something to say. She finally sighed and rustled through her pack, handing him a granola bar for something to eat. He was halfway through it when he felt her running a rag, his rag—he frowned, not even realizing she had even taken it out of his back pocket—across his face and he jerked back in surprise. He really needed to get his shit together. He hasn't been this off guard in a long time.

He narrowed his eyes, his arms wrapped tight around his knees when he asked, "What're ya doin'?"

Beth's hands dropped to her sides before she replied, "There's blood," she motioned quick at him, "all over your face. I was just tryin' to get it off for you. Sorry."

"Nah," he cleared his throat, shrugging, "s'okay...thank you."

She smiled and took that as permission. After running his rag through the water again, she reached over to clean the rest of the blood off his face as best as she could. When she was finished, she opened her own granola bar. He shook his head, she was always taking care of others before herself; Lord knows he wasn't good enough for someone like that.

Finally, after she finished eating and with crumbs stuck to her lips, Beth spoke. And when she did, Daryl wished she hadn't. She looked him in the eye with her wise, wide baby blues and said, "I missed you so bad while I was gone, Daryl Dixon."

He felt like he had gotten shot. He choked on his food before griping at her, "What'd ya go and say that for, Beth!"

"Because I wanted you to know. I never got a chance to tell you. I know I joked about you missing me, but when I said that back at the moonshine shack, I knew I'd miss you, too, and I did. It's just... we were both a little hungover and I didn't know how to bring it up.

I don't blame you for what happened and you shouldn't either. I can see it, y'know, when you look at me. The way your shoulders set and your eyes harden and I just know you feel guilty, but, Daryl," her hand rested on his arm and she ducked her head to get him to look at her, "I'm telling you not to."

"I left ya alone out there and you're tellin' me it ain't my fault!" He scoffed and jerked his arm out of her grip.

"You threw yourself into a herd of walkers alone to protect me! You thought you were doing the right thing and you were. You couldn't have known. No one could have! If anything it's my fault for not staying out of sight. I was an open target out there! You're only one person; you can't do everything on your own. You shouldn't feel like you have to."

The guilt burned like acid in his gut and he felt like he was going to be sick. He stood up and walked a couple steps away, his back to her, before the feeling became too much and he started shouting. "I didn' protect ya from shit! Who knows what," the burn in his eyes and the crack in his voice caused him to stop, but he pushed on like he always had with her, "who knows what happened ta ya while you was missin' and if I'd a' gotten out of that damn funeral home sooner—"

The familiar impact of her throwing herself into his back, her arms wrapping around his waist and head settling between his shoulder blades, was so jarring that he almost lost his footing. She gripped so tight he almost couldn't breathe and she whispered so quietly to him that even he, who was so trained to the soft sounds of nature from hunting, had to turn his head to hear.

"You listen to me good, Daryl Dixon, you did the best you could. You hear. I'm not mad at what happened and I don't blame you! You saved me from a huge threat and you couldn't know that something else would happen. You put the weight of the world on your shoulders and it hurts me to see the sadness in you." She leaned back and looked in his eyes and continued, her voice thick with reverence, "I'm glad that after we lost the prison, I was with you. I needed you then and I need you now."

"Ya just saved my ass cause I wasn't payin' attention for one fuckin' second. I don't think ya need anyone."

She shook her head, "I do. There's more to it than just physical protection. You kept me strong when I didn't think I could take any more." She halted and he could tell she wanted to say more so he pressed back into her, offering comfort as only he could and felt her arms squeeze him just a little tighter. "No one... took anything from me. They roughed me up a bit every now and then, but was nothing like that. Though there were men who stared at me like they wanted to. I was so scared. You were all I had left and then I had no one. You remember how I said, after you started teaching me to track, that soon I wouldn't need you at all? That was the biggest lie I have ever told. The first time someone backhanded me, I wished so bad that you were there. Being in a group with some of the uglier people left in this world, I saw how good we have it. Maggie, Glenn, Rick, Carl, Tyreese, Shasha, every one of us are friends, a family unit brought together by sheer force of will to stay alive and still be good people in the end. But, hoping to see you again was why I fought so hard to get back to you, even when I thought I couldn't anymore. I found you and you found me and I'm okay now. I went through it and I hated in a way I have never hated before, but I really am okay. And having you with me again is a big part of that. So, you may think I don't need you, but I do."

He growled under his breath when he heard that they had beaten her around, but he was glad that nothing worse had happened. And by the time she finished speaking, he had sagged into her embrace, weeks of fear and loathing and not knowing being expelled with every breath. She opened up to him, trusted him enough to tell him about their time apart. Her words easing his penitence little by little and he knew that it would only be so long until the internal wounds he inflicted upon himself would become nothing but fuzzy memories, clouded by her strength in him, the strength that she gave him. He shook his head without out breaking eye contact and whispered back, "You're somethin' else, Greene."

She smiled that special smile was the solely reserved for him and rested her chin on his shoulder, "So are you."

He chuckled and grumbled a "whatever" and she let him go, knowing he was becoming uncomfortable with the closeness they were wrapped up in. He picked up his crossbow and she figured that was her cue that he was ready to leave, so she packed everything back up and they were on their way.

They made it to the houses a little before dawn and he led her to a cul-de-sac, motioning quietly which ones they were going to clear. He waited for her nod before leading her to the first house—all of them were two stories and used to be white with powder blue doors and shutters and a wrap-around porch—and held out a hand when they reached the door. He opened it and thudded his palm against the wall before waiting a couple minutes. When nothing came, he walked through, his Stryker up and loaded for any surprises. He wasn't having a repeat of what just occurred at the river. He glanced over to see Beth with her knife out, following him and watching his back. He nodded his approval and continued through the house. They checked from top to bottom with no problems.

She wanted to check the kitchen and see if there was anything to eat and he told her to always keep her eyes peeled and knife in reach. Just because it was clear now doesn't mean it will stay that way. He let her be when he was sure she was okay. He wanted to see what else he could find. He was glad to find a good sized first aid kit—Maggie had caught her arm jumping over a fence while they were running from them Termites. They've been trying to keep it as clean as they could to avoid infection, but they were running out of the small amount of medicine they had.—some pain relievers and antibiotics. He checked through the master bedroom and the smaller room across the hall, grabbing all the blankets he could find, before making his way back down to Beth.

He found her staring at the pictures above the fireplace, running her fingers through the dust that has settled onto the marble mantelpiece and the picture frames. "A big family lived here. There's the parents and four kids, two dogs and a cat," she sighed before laughing; one that was sharp and filled with sorrow. "These things shouldn't even bother me anymore."

"Beth, ya ain't like everyone else who can see things like that and get over 'em. That's what makes ya one a' the good ones. Don't lose that just cause ya think ya need to."

She jumped and he realized that she had been talking to herself. He stepped back a little before apologizing. She giggled and shook her head, walking up to him and settling a hand upon his cheek, her fingers tangling in his too long hair and pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Thank you."

His thumb flew to his mouth when she backed away, his head jerking in some form of a nod and watched her smile and turn back to walk to the kitchen. She had gathered all sorts of stuff. Daryl was glad Carl had mentioned that this place might be good to look through when they found a place to settle and regroup as they passed by. There were cans of fruits and vegetables, pasta and pasta sauce, oatmeal and all sorts of granola bars, cereal, crackers... enough food to last everyone for a while. She had found batteries and flashlights, soap and unopened toothbrushes, bottles and baby formula and even a couple toys and a rattle.

Daryl whistled, "Damn, ya work fast. S'a lot of shit. Should last us a while. Really needed that formula for lil' asskicker. Good job."

"So, I did okay?"

"Hell yeah!"

He smiled when he saw her go bright red from beneath the collar of her shirt and up to her ears and she playfully shoved him when she noticed. "I just always hear you guys saying the quicker the better so I guess I got a little carried away."

"Nah, this is good. It's all stuff we're gon' need now that we're back on the road. Especially Judy."

She seemed very pleased with herself after his reassurance and she went to gather everything they found and divide it up in the packs they brought with a bounce in her step.

They cleared the other four houses with just as much ease as the first one. Daryl figured these hadn't been hit yet because they were full of necessities. They found more food and medicine and blankets, even some nice thick clothes and coats for the upcoming winter. He hadn't been on this successful of a run in a while and he was glad he got to go on it with Beth and see how happy she was from being able to bring back this big of a haul on her first trip out. Even he was excited and he'd been out plenty of times so he could only imagine how she felt.

"Are you hungry?" He was brought out of his thoughts when Beth offered him and open can of mixed fruit with a spoon while she sat next to him with her own.

He took a couple bites while looking around the room and asking her, "Ya cold?

"Yeah."

Before he could think twice about what he was doing, he shrugged off his vest and unceremoniously tossed it at her. She pouted and kicked out at him. Her answering smile at his awkward, huffed laugh hit him like a freight train. He wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to understand why his body reacted the way it did when he was around her. But, for the first time since she was taken, he didn't have a voice in the back of his head—be it his or Merle's, calling him some form of a bitch for being pussy whipped or pointing out their age difference—to make him feel like lashing out. He didn't feel like the dirty, old redneck he was so used to people seeing when he playfully shoved her over. Nor that overwhelming, shitty feeling of guilt when she reached over to push back and he pulled her to him; she was caught off guard and fell forward, sprawled across his lap. He didn't feel like a bad person when he started tickling her, laughing quietly to her giggles and squealed pleas of, "no, Daryl! Stop. I can't...please!"

When he finally relented and her laughter died down, her eyes stayed glued to his face; as though she searching for something in him. Her wide, questioning eyes had him squirming further into his corner of the couch. She must've found what she wanted cause the next thing he knew, she had set her empty can down and reached over to run her thumb between his eyebrows, smoothing out the last bit of evidence that he was getting annoyed. He frowned and tilted his head down to use his hair as a curtain, shielding himself away from her appraising eyes. She tilted her head and watched him as he finished before asking the question that he had been silently waiting for ever since their conversation got cut off all those weeks ago.

"Did you mean it?"

He wanted so much to pretend that he didn't know what she was talking about because, now that this conversation was happening, he wasn't sure how to respond. He shied away from anything emotional and everyone knew that. The only difference was that Beth was able to get him to speak of his own volition instead of feeling like he was backed into a corner and the only way to get out was to yell horrible, nasty things or to actually say what was bothering him. He hated to admit that most of the time it was the former option. But all she would have to do is softly nudge him in the right direction and before he knew it, he was telling her things he swore he'd keep locked away forever; emotional scars that only he was allowed to know and see. So, he sighed and looked at her the same way he did that night; with his unwavering, piercing gaze and that was how she got her answer.

She took a deep breath and nodded to herself, "Can I try something?"

He watched her warily as she scooted closer to him and took his can, putting it down on the table. She locked eyes with him, and leaned in. His eyes widened slightly when he gathered exactly what she wanted when she stopped a tiny ways away and asked, "Please?" And with his abused and poorly stitched together heart, he knew he wanted it, too.

But, he shot away from her and stumbled to his feet before doing something neither of them could take back. He didn't know how to do things like this, be gentle with a gentle soul. "What are ya thinking, girl! Ya can't jus go 'round and kissing random people!"

He steeled himself, seeing her eyes water before she stood and stomped over to him, shoving him hard when she got close enough. "I'm thinking how much I care about you! And you aren't just some random guy I found and decided to share something with, Daryl! You know that! Don't run away from me, now!"

"I ain't runnin'. And ya shouldn't want to have anythin' ta do with me jus' cause ya think ya owe me or nothin'."

"I never said that!" She threw up her hands in exasperation and he felt like his heart was coming out through his lungs.

She took a moment to calm herself down and she walked closer to him again, begging him with her eyes not to step away again. "Do you know what I see when I look at you?" She didn't give him a chance to answer before she started speaking again, "I see someone who had to grow up way too fast, who had to grow up alone. Who has been hurt by so many people and was never shown any kindness until Rick. But, even through that, he is kind and thoughtful. I see a man who works himself to the bone to keep the people he cares about safe, who puts everyone else before himself. I see strength and fire and beauty. You are beautiful to me, Daryl. You're one of the best men I have ever had the chance to know and even though the world is shit," she laughs through her tears, "I thank God every single day that I met you."

He tried to pull away but she held tight and it was the first time he felt that fight or flight instinct with her. She wanted this conversation to happen and she wasn't backing down. The thing about being a Dixon, though, what that they didn't cry or mope, they got unreasonably angry. Daryl especially when it came to letting out his emotions. Growing up, he was shown with fists and belts and words what "crying like a sissy bitch" resulted in. Furious, Daryl yelled, "Ya wanna know what I see, Beth? Huh? I see someone who had ta lock himself away when his dad got back from benders an' took ta beatin' everyone he could get his hands on. Someone who has scars from belts an' knives an' cigarette burns for trying ta stand up for himself. Someone who had no choice but ta learn how ta hunt or he starved for days. I had to pick my mom off the floor, broken an' bleedin', way too many times ta count 'fore she got so drunk that she dropped a cigarette and lit the fuckin' house on fire an' let it burn ta the ground around her! Ta get beat ta the point where I wished I was dead, even if I ain't done nothing wrong! Ta know that teachers had seen my bruises and didn't do a damn thing cause I wasn't worth the trouble. I never had anybody say they loved me or hugged me when I hurt myself or told me that it was okay. I ain't never felt safe. I was redneck trash then an' I'm redneck trash now!"

Beth was stunned into silence, an ache so strong ripped through her and stole her breath away. She had seen his scars when her daddy had patched him up when he hurt himself at the farm, but to actually hear what he's been through hurts in a way she's never felt before. To hear him whisper a quick, "I ain't never gonna be good enough for ya," was the final thing that strengthened her resolve to prove to this incredible man before her that someone did care about him.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his chest as she said, "You already are."

He ducked his head and shrugged, scuffing his foot across the floor. She reached up slowly so as not to startle him and cupped his cheeks, tilting his head back up so he could see just how serious she was about what she said next, "You are! You always have been. Even before all this, if I had met you then, you still would have been good enough for me and been everything I could ever want."

He let out a laugh and answered her questioning stare, "The farmer's daughter an' tha uncivilized drifter. Yeah, that woulda worked well. 'Sides I was way too up my own ass an' mean back then."

She hummed, "You were never mean, just lost your way. And think it would've worked just fine. I've dealt with a sullen, closed off Daryl and a drunk Daryl. I think I did an okay job."

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes, "Yeah, guess ya did."

They stopped talking and just looked at each other before Beth broke it, "May I kiss you now?"

Daryl knew now that he was powerless to stop her when she lifted up on her toes and her soft lips touched his for the first time. She pulled away and smiled before kissing him again, her hands traveling up his arms, goosebumps following in their wake, and wrapping around his neck. Her fingers tangled into the back of his hair, tightening when his hand found it's way to her lower, pulling her to him. He groaned at the lick of pain he felt and pressed his lips more firmly against hers, running his tongue along her bottom lip and drinking in the gasp his actions pulled from her. She opened her mouth and tried to get as close to him as possible until there was no more room between them, while his tongue ran across the roof of her mouth. His fingertips dug into her skin at the feeling of her chest pressed so tightly to his own; the entire length of her body running along his.

To finally have her like this, tangled up so deeply in one another, felt as though he was seeing all the world's greatest sights and coming home all at one. Her taste of cinnamon and fruit and something all her own; something so light and pure that he never wanted to be without. The flyaways of her hair skimming his cheeks, her fingers curling and uncurling in the fabric of his shirt. Her heart pounding in rhythm with his and the sigh that passed through her lips set his blood ablaze. To feel her need him how he's needed her was something he couldn't wrap his mind around, but he wouldn't dare let it go for anything or anyone. Her got her back and now she was his and he was hers. He was never letting go again.

Beth's own inexperience showed and she moaned and melted into him when he tilted her head and guided her; their tongues running together before she decided it was her turn to taste him. She pushed his tongue back so she could run hers over the spots that he showed her. She reveled in the sound he made when she licked behind his bottom teeth and under his tongue and swiped across it again. A burst of pride shot through her when he moaned, feeling the vibrations from her chest to her toes. She pulled back with a gasp, panting as she held tight to him. She was dizzy and light-headed and oh, so giddy.

He skimmed his lips down her jaw to nip at the spot just below her ear and she heard him let out a breathless, "Fuck." A laugh burst through her kiss-swollen lips and she hid her head in his chest in embarrassment. She felt his smile from where his face was pressed into her hair and he felt her resulting smile through his shirt. Daryl stepped away, but kept hold of her hand and made his way back to the couch. He legs felt sort of like jelly, like he was some wet behind the ears pre-teen who just kissed his first crush and his body didn't know how to process it. He sat down and she followed, laying so her head was in his lap.

"Really now, ya should get some rest."

"Yes, Mr. Dixon. And wipe that smug smirk off your face." She said, still trying to get her breathing under control. Her sarcasm fell short when she was interrupted by a yawn. She hadn't realized how tired she was until now.

He laughed, but did as he was told. He knows better than to mess with that Greene family fire. 

She wanted to know one more thing before she fell asleep so she peeked her eyes and asked, "Play a quick game with me? Tap a finger once for yes, two taps for no, okay?"

"I didn't even agree ta play."

She glared up at him and he snorted, "Alright."

She closed her eyes and snuggled in closer to him before she spoke, "Good."

"Were you—" she huffed before taking a deep breath in and releasing it. "Were you okay? You know, after I was gone?"

The silence that enveloped the room was tense and she was scared she had asked the wrong thing again. He sighed and, in rapid succession, tapped her twice on the hip where her shirt had ridden up before squeezing her side tightly. She knew then that he wanted to talk about what happened with him while they were apart, but he wasn't quite ready.

She understood and moved on to a topic she tried to make more lighthearted, teasing him, and he silently thanked her for that. "Did you cry when you tripped the other day? I think I might've saw a tear or two," she laughed and reached up like she was going to brush a tear from his eye. He shrugged her off with an embarrassed, "shuddup," and swatted her back where his hand was resting.

She smiled, "Seriously! We need to keep you and hills away from each other." She giggled at the snort and eye roll she received. He pinched her side and she squeaked, knocking his arm away before raising her hands in defeat. "Next one, then?"

He shrugged, not really minding, but when that's all she said, he noticed she was hesitating and he wasn't sure if he was ready for what she was going to ask him.

She bit her lip, "Do you think you could ever love me?"

She squeezed her eyes shut when she felt him tense up beneath her and wished she could take it back. She wanted to know, but maybe her eagerness was going to put them back too many steps. She hoped Daryl wouldn't be angry with her and when she felt him relax, though a slow process, she figured he wasn't. Now, though, was waiting to see if he would actually answer her.

She waited for some kind of tap and was surprised when he started to talk instead and said, "I don't," he shuffled, uncomfortable, "I don't know how ta love, Beth. I don't know if I can give ya what ya wan' from me." He stopped and she thought that was all she going to get and that was okay with her for now. But, apparently he was full of surprises that night when he went on and said, "But, I wan' to try. I wanna know what it's like ta love and be loved in return."

Beth watched his eyes dart around the room before finally landing on her and that's when she reached up and brushed his hair away from his face and replied, "I want to know, too. I know how love feels when it was with my daddy or is with Maggie or Glenn or Judy, with sisters and brothers and fathers and mothers. But, I've never felt love with someone you're together with. I hadn't been with Jimmy or Zach long enough, but even still, I've never felt anything with anyone the way I feel about you. So, we'll learn to love each other together."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, her cheeks and her nose before kissing her mouth in his own form of non-verbal agreement. It made her feel like her breath had been stolen and she knew she was already beginning to understand what falling for another person the way she was falling for Daryl could do. He had a hand resting on her side as she had been talking and his thumb had unconsciously started running soothing circles into her skin through her shirt. The heat it caused to run through her was slow; from the warmth of hot chocolate on a winter's night to a blazing bonfire at a beach party in July. It made her feel alive.

With her question answered she got more comfortable and finally let sleep overtake her.

Daryl woke Beth early the next morning with everything packed and ready to go. She stretched her aching body as much as she could and blushed when she noticed Daryl's eyes staring intently at the sliver of skin the peeked through when her shirt rode up, a heat in them that sent a tingle rushing through her. She stood and made her way over to him, encircling his waist with her arms and kissing him underneath his jaw. He leaned into the contact, letting out a sound of content that she knew he would never let anyone else hear.

She spoke, a pout very evident in her voice, "We have to go back now, right?"

He snorted and smiled down at her, "Right. Sorry."

She smiled up at him and said, "It's not your fault. We have to go back some time. I just... how are things going to be when we go back?"

"I don't know, Beth. I don't know if anyone is gon' take this okay. They way you an' I see it probably ain't gon' be the way everyone else does. 'Specially Maggie. She's gon' have my head for ever thinkin' about kissin' ya the way I did last night."

"I'm a grown woman. They can't tell us that we can't be with each other, Daryl."

"Ya don't think I know that. But having everyone react badly ain't good for the group. If we're too caught up in others things people could get hurt."

She sighed, frustrated, because he was right. And she hated it. She was sure that Maggie wouldn't take it bad. They had a lot of talks about the things that were worth fighting for in the world now, and Maggie had said love every single time. That if Beth could find someone to care about the way she cared about Glenn, she would welcome him without a second thought. Beth was pretty sure Glenn wouldn't be upset either. She was hoping that Rick would be okay with it because he and Daryl were like brothers and he respected Rick's opinion on just about everything. That Carl and Michonne and everyone else in their ragtag group would follow suit. It was a situation in which they wouldn't know until they knew.

He saw that she understood and gave her a sad smile. He moved away, his hands following the back of her arms and gripping her hands before letting go. He grabbed his crossbow and his pack, handing her the other and asking if she was ready to go. She looked back into the living room of their safe haven for the night and nodded, threading her fingers through his and starting the journey back to camp.

"You should get a bigger group to come out and clear the other houses. With what we found in the couple we went through, there could be tons of useful stuff stashed away in them."

"Yeah, I was plannin' on speakin' ta Rick about it. I was also thinkin' of tellin' him it might be a good place for us ta stay for awhile. Maybe through the winter."

He said the last part a little reluctantly and she knew he was waiting for her to tell him it was a dumb idea. "I think you should. We'd have the comfort of walls and the fireplaces would keep everyone warm. We can't have Judith out in the woods in cold weather like that. I think it'll be good for everyone."

His shoulders progressively straightened as he was listening to her response and Beth felt good that she made him feel secure in his thoughts.

It seemed to take less time getting back to camp, then it did to get to the houses and maybe it was because they were wrapped up in each other just as much as they were looking out for danger, but she felt a little sad when she heard the voices of their friends, their family. Daryl stopped just before they broke through the tree line, still hidden from the others and pressed a firm kiss to her lips and then her hair, grazing his knuckles soft as a rose petal across her cheek. She squeezed his hand and pressed her face to his chest before they separated to a friendly enough distance and stepped under the perimeter they set up around camp.

He looked at her one last time before he went to take their haul to Rick and Beth was dragged in the opposite direction by Maggie. It was close to dinner time, so everyone was huddled together in the blankets and clothes the two of them brought back, listening to Beth and Daryl tell them how the run went and about the houses. After everyone was assured they were both okay after the run-in with the walkers, they teased Daryl endlessly about being saved by the wisp of a person that Beth was. He hunkered down into himself and sulkily told everyone to "shut their traitor mouths." They just laughed and congratulated Beth. She finally felt that people saw her as a main contributor to their group and hopefully they wouldn't fight her the next time she wanted to go out.

As people started to go their separate ways to get ready for bed, a light touch to her lower back had her turning to see what it was. She bit her lip, trying to keep the goofy smile that was threatening to split across her face from happening when she saw those stitched on angel wings walking away from her. She must not have done a very good job when Maggie walked over and tilted her head.

"Why're you in such a good mood?"

"I guess I'm still excited about what we found yesterday, is all. I know being out there is dangerous, but I feel good about it." Beth was glad that she could think quickly, although what she said wasn't a lie. She hoped one day she could tell her sister all about the floaty feeling Daryl gave her.

Maggie laughed, "It's good you know that. But, everything y'all found was really needed. You did good your first time, Beth. I'm sorry I tried so hard to keep you from going. I know it wasn't doing you any good. 'Sides if you're strong enough to protect even Daryl, I don't think I can tell you not to anymore." She finished with an airy chuckle, running her fingers through Beth's hair.

"It happened so fast. I'm glad he's okay. And that you can see that I'm okay out there."

"Me, too. I love you, Bethy."

Beth breathed in deep, smiling at her sister, "Love you, too, Maggie."

As she got comfortable, she knew that one trip had changed everything. She already wanted to tell people about them because she wants what Maggie and Glenn have; to be able to hug each other and kiss each other, sleep side-by-side. But, she was hoping that keeping what happened to themselves might be better. Daryl didn't want to interrupt the group dynamic and she knew he was worried about how people would see him afterwards; it would kill him if Rick turned on him. So, even if it would be hard, she would do it for him. Neither knew how long they'd be able to keep pretending in front of the others, but they knew how they felt and that, in the end, being able to share feeling this way with each other would be worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! I'd really love if you could let me know what you think or if there are any mistakes that you notice. I'll fix them as soon as I can!


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